KON! Report
by GemKnight
Summary: Jack is assigned to do a Profile on Mugi, he does so the only way presented to him, he covers it as a story on the whole band... But its harder to do a story when you start to develop feelings for the subject matter. Rated for love scenes.
1. Prolouge

"Excuse me- you want me to do a _profile_?"

"Look- think of it as a promotion- I don't care, but you go to the boy's school across from hers."

"Her?"

The editor handed Jack a photo, it was from a bad angle, the lighting was poor- and it was clearly taken from a great distance and zoomed in. Jack reached a hand back and scratched his head through long brown hair. "Kotobuki Tsumugi…"

"She's been rather hard to spot for years, her father runs a corporation that controls half the shops at the local mall, her father's worth at least three billion American Dollars."

"So why am I being given this assignment, and why now…?"

"Why now is because she finally seems to have a close group of friends, she's joined a club called the Light Music Club, and they seem to be a band, they preformed at their school festival last year, and are set to perform for the freshman at the end of the week."

"Okay- now why me?"

The editor had an evil grin that defined creepy… "You're the only one that'll fit in this," he held up a uniform for the school.

"You've got to be shitting me?"

Look we're not asking you to actually pretend to be a student- it's even cleared with the school- sort of… we just need you to blend until you meet her."

Jack just stared for a moment. "Sort of? And why all the cloak and dagger?"

"Because her father has stopped every reporter so far, once the article is in print, as long as it's true there's no legal course he can take."

"So that brings me back to _sort of_?"

"If you're caught, talk to the vice principle and she'll cover your escape…"

"This is making me feel _soo_ much better," he grumbled…

"Just go to the concert, decide then if you want the assignment, if you do that much, I won't have any problem if you back out."

"In drag…"

"In drag."

"All the things I do for a measly By Line," he mumbled as he started to walk off-

"Jack!"

"What?"

The editor chucked the school-girl uniform at him, "You'll need this…"

A/N:

It's a short prolouge, that's why I waited until i had the first chapter done as well so I could post them both at once...

End A/N


	2. Seeing the Light Music Club

"Where is it- where _is _it! A-HA!"

Jack was digging through his closet before school; it was the day he had to go to that concert. He needed through toss a couple extra supplies in his bag for after school so he could pass for a girl. He had a lot of make-up from years of various costumes. He threw all that into a plain hand-bag he could fit into his oversized backpack. He had the school uniform stuffed all the way at the bottom, the last thing he needed was it falling out during the day.

The last piece he needed he frowned as he held it up- he had to be comfortable in it- so he was going to be wearing them all day under his boy's school uniform-

Panties…

Plain, white, cotton, panties…

"I knew I should have joined the occult club…"

After school he slipped into the janitor's closet and wedged the push broom under the door so he could change. Between the make-up and switching from one pony tail in back to one on either side made him look more different that he imagined- that calmed him a little as he looked in the compact mirror and steeled himself to dash from one courtyard to the other…

"I'm gonna kill my editor," he mumbled repeatedly to himself as he dashed between the schools trying to keep his skirt from flipping around so much. He gasped in relief as he was one of the first students through the door and sat down. He slid down in the chair until he realized his skirt was slipping up.

"Meep!" He sat up quickly and pushed the skirt to cover between his legs. "Death is too good for him…"

He blushed as a couple of freshmen girls called him pretty and scurried off. "Please let this day _end…._"

-And yet all his protests cut short when the curtain lifted. Yui introduced her bandmates, and they began singing…

The world might well have been on mute. They weren't the best band he'd ever heard, in fact he was sure he could probably play as well as them- and he hadn't touched any of his instruments since he left America- he hadn't had time while catching up with the curriculum. He'd only found time for the paper starting last year.

He'd been so lost in the show he hadn't even realized when it was over. The curtains came down and the room went dark. Moving quickly he made it to the exit before the lights came on, brushing past a girl a little shorter than him with dark hair.

He headed for the Vice Principle's office and sat across from his desk waiting for him to come in.

He was humming their songs as the woman finally came into her office, "Can I help you?"

He turned the chair a bit, "Probably, you know Jun-Sensei?"

She smirked, "You're Jackie."

"Jack thank you," he scowled, "and I hope you're not too attached to him because I've decided after I do this story for him I'm going to kill him."

She just kept smirking, "It's been tried. I might be convinced to help you when the time comes, lemme know."

"I might- but as it is I do actually need your help. I need a way to get into the club- since I'm not a student, I can't sign up- and frankly I'd rather drop the whole Drag bit anyway."

"Hmmm," she thought for a moment. Then her smirk returned. "I might have just the trick." She got behind her desk and started looking through one of the drawers, eventually pulling out a wallet sized photo album. She set it in front of him on the first page; there were four band members all in mild amounts of make up, the now Vice Principle behind the keyboard. She flipped to the last page and it was four people in excessive costumes playing the same instruments. "Yamanaka Sawako," she pointed to the guitar player. "She's your weak link, she only joined the band for a boy, and likes to pretend she never played with us," she stuck out her tongue musingly. "And now she's the club advisor, though I can't imagine why- maybe the kids found her out, heh…"

Jack reached for the pictures, "You mean blackmail her by threatening to publish them?"

"Hardly, you'll only need show them and she'll panic."

Jack chuckled, "Thank you."

"Find a way to get even with Jun for us both and that'll be thanks enough."

"What's he got on you?"

She stirred uncomfortably in her seat; "Ask Jun, he'll probably tell you," she blushed.

Jack got up and started to leave-

"It probably doesn't make you feel any better, but you make a cute girl."

Jack scowled-

"Even when you do that," she laughed.

He turned around with a huff and walked out to the sound of her well meaning laughter.

As he was leaving campus he saw Sawako leaving as well-

"Sawako-Sensei!" he said in falsetto.

"Hm," she turned toward Jack, "Do I know you?"

He got right beside her and forgoing the falsetto spoke again, "Not yet- but you will," he thumbed through the photo album he'd been giving.

Sawako gasped, "Reika _swore_ she'd never show those to anyone."

"Sadly someone else has something on her; that same person put me on an assignment, and she sent me to you to get it done."

"Oh, I wonder what somebody has on Reika?"

"I don't happen to know myself, I do intend to ask the blackmailer mind you," he chuckled, "but what I need from you is simply a way on campus _sans_ the drag getup so I can interview the Light Music Club."

"You could do that off campus."

"I kinda can't actually, though my editor hasn't been totally clear on the reasons, just that people who've tried to interview one of the band members before- have never succeeded."

Sawako frowned, "Look- I'm not sure-"

He flicked his wrist, displaying the photos again.

She winced, "OKAY- I'll think of something…" She put a hand to her chin as she started thinking- she glanced up at him- "You know I don't see why you can't just be a girl a little longer- you look awfully cu-"

"NO!" He said with flush cheeks.

She smirked a bit, but stopped herself from pushing, "Can you play an instrument?"

"Several- not professionally mind you- but probably almost as good as the girls."

"Can you use a synthesizer?"

"It's a little harder than a keyboard, but yeah. I don't see how that gets me-"

"I can get you into the band- probably- even if you're not a student. You won't be on the club list, but if we say you're part of the band not many people will question it- hopefully…"

"Hopefully?"

"As long as Yui's friend from student council doesn't show up no one will say anything- probably?"

"PROBABLY! What kind of plan is that?"

"The best I can come up with under pressure," she said innocently…

Jack waved his hand dismissively, "Fine, whatever, it ought to do as a start anyway- but I want you to think of something better…"

"Well I could try to pass you as a relative but I think people would see through that one…"

"…"

"Just carry your instrument and walk beside me, look like you belong, and don't make eye contact…"

"… This bodes ill…"


	3. Meeting the Light Music Club

"So- what'd 'ya think?" Jun asked when he finally caught up with Jack during his lunch hour.

Jack sighed, he'd been trying to avoid Jun most of the day; "I'm going to do it."

"Good- maybe I won't have to use these…" He dropped a stack of pictures of him from yesterday in his lap.

Jack paled as he scooped them all immediately up and jammed them into his bag.

"Those are copies of course. By the way, you make a cute girl."

Jack glared up at Jun, "Now I wonder if this was the only reason you had me dress as a woman… and what do you have on Reika?"

"Just some more pictures," he said off handedly and started walking away before Jack could ask more.

"I shoulda joined the Occult club," he muttered.

After school he let Sawako-sensei lead him to the music room. She opened the door and the girls were all sitting drinking Tea.

"Girls, there's someone I brought to meet you all."

Jack stepped into the room, dropped his bag near theirs, and set his synthesizer beside the Keyboard. All the girls were just staring at him, waiting for him to break the silence. He turned to face them all, "I'm Jack Rayson; I heard about your band from a friend and wanted to learn more about it."

He sat down at the desk and was shocked at how quickly he was presented with a tea-cup and a slice of cake. '_No questions at all? What kind of-… Shut up Jack, gift horse…_'

"So- why did all of you join this club?"

They all looked back and forth between each other for a moment.

"I've wanted to be in a band since I saw this concert years ago," Ritsu began.

"I've been her childhood friend, so she just kinda dragged me in- a little literally," Mio mused.

"I was actually going to join the Choir originally, but I'm glad I joined here instead, it's been very interesting," Mugi said.

"Well- I actually thought it was going to be light music as in easy, like the castanets, but then Sawa-Sensei told me later that the castanets are actually very hard," Yui giggled.

"We got another new member but she doesn't seem to be here yet," Sawako mentioned.

"Oh- OH, I think she was gonna hang out with Ui today," Yui said with her hand raised.

"So why do you want to know about us," Ritsu asked.

"Well ah- I heard such great things I wanted to see for myself." Jack sighed, '_This mixing truth and lie is dangerous stuff_.'

"So did you want to play or something, 'cause I see you brought a Synth," Mio pointed out.

"Frankly I'm better at Bass, but you've already got one of those; though Synth _is_ kinda fun, like a Keyboard but more options- once you learn them all anyway," he chuckled. "Just something I hobbied around with before my family moved to Japan."

"So you've played for a while too," Yui questioned.

"Off and on, never seriously," he admitted shyly.

Yui pouted and Tsumugi lightly patted her back comfortingly.

"So did you want to play," Ritsu asked this time.

"Sure, I guess it couldn't hurt, I'm probably a bit rusty since I haven't played in about 4 years…"

"So you've only been in Japan four years, but you don't seem to be struggling with the language any," Mio pointed out.

"I was shaky with the language at first, but my dad's business brought him to Japan a lot even before, so I had a strong practical foundation of exposure to the language before I even began learning," for some reason he found himself blushing again as Tsumugi was looking at him.

At the instruments they all looked to Jack first, he shrugged, "How 'bout that third one you did at the freshman show, I think I could wing my way through that?"

"How did you know which songs we played at the freshman show?"

"Um," Jack paused, "I saw a recording of it one of the Freshman made," and with that he started into the song before they could ask any more questions. He added a bit of synthesized Sax, mostly, at a couple of points he switched to synthing Guitar to round out Yui's performance a bit. When they finished they all looked at him.

"Wow," Ritsu said first, Yui shortly behind her in the exact same sentiment.

"You said it's been four years since you played," Mio said, amazement ringing a little in her voice as well.

"Pretty much, it's been sitting in my closet until this afternoon, I probably couldn't even do exactly that again, I just played what seemed to go with it," he shrugged.

"Don't you remember what chords you played," Mugi asked.

"Some, mostly I just kinda let go," he was blushing again under Mugi's glance. "I mean- I- I can play chords- I just- unless I have a sheet to work from I tend to ignore them and just play…"

Yui yawned seemingly out of nowhere; reminding everyone how late it was getting now.

"Wow, um, my dad's probably already sent a driver for me," he was mumbling by the end of his sentence.

"Wow, you have a driver," Yui said in awe, "Are you rich like Mugi-chan?"

"I- no, I mean, we're probably well off I suppose, but my dad just likes to spoil me," he managed a weak smile.

"I'm sure he'll understand if you have other plans though, right," Mugi asked.

"Yeah, um, sure, I should at least drop off my synthesizer with him though."

"Great, in that case would you like to go to Max Burger?"

Jack's head rocked back, he should have been the one to think of that. "Sure."

The rest of the group exchanged confused glances at what seemed out of character for Mugi and her admiration of 'Girl Bonding'.

At the fast food place he set his tray across from her and looked to see she only had a drink and frys, while he had a whole combo meal. "So ah, what made you ask me out?"

She tilted her head and smiled strangely, "I didn't want to say this in front of the others yet, but we've actually met before. You may not remember, we were both small. It was one of my father's holiday business parties. If I recall your father had just bought a company my father had been eyeing, and he wanted to congratulate him into the market."

Now it was Jack's turn to tilt his head, there were a number trips to Japan his father took him on before they moved- but only one party… His eyes widened in recognition- "Eyebrows!"

Mugi giggled a little. "Yes that was what you called my father."

"How do you remember that- we were like- five or six?"

"You were five, I had just turned six, and that's part of why I remember."

"Wow," he was completely shocked into nostalgia.

"I saw you in the audience," she smiled, but as she tilted her head again she wasn't. "So do you want to tell me again why you want to know about our band?"

"I really was impressed," he said honestly, withering a little under her intense stare. "But you're right to suspect my motives a little, I work in the journalism club at my school, and my editor is an excellent blackmailer," he admitted with a sarcasm-edged sigh. He reached into his bag and dropped the stack of photos of him.

Mugi actually giggled a little as she started shuffling through the photos. "You make such a cute girl."

Jack groaned. "God everyone keeps saying that, I just want it buried in the past where it ought already."

"But what put you in a dress in the first place."

"I was the only one it would fit," he said with a crimson face. Jack laid his head on his tray beside the now empty burger wrapper. "My editor wanted me to profile you, and-… after I saw your performance, I wanted to too." He sat up again and looked her in the face, pleading.

Mugi giggled a little again. "Okay."

Jack gaped. "Okay?"

Mugi nodded. "I'd even be willing to help with your blackmail problem if you can come up with a solution."

"You're the second person to offer to help on that too," he chuckled, "Jun-sensei is quickly going to find himself with far more enemies than he can properly blackmail."

AN:

Max Burger was the name of the fast food place in the first ep for those who were wondering or too lazy to look it up themselves, heh…

It looks like a mix of McDonalds, Burger King, and Whataburger… odd eh?

End AN


	4. JaChan's Hand

"So how's the story coming," Jun pestered Jack once more.

Jack grimaced, "Do you want a good story, or a piece of crap, I'll give you the story when I've finished it."

"Well don't take too long on it," Jun frowned. "Anyway, I had another reason to stop by, one of the teachers is coming back from a year long vacation, I and a few of the other staff pulled together so we could throw her a welcome back party this weekend. I wanted to invite you, give you a real chance to relax, clear your head, enjoy the food- so you can come back and finish your profile story…" He dropped a strip of paper with an address in front of Jack.

Jack groaned, "It'll be done when it's ready, no sooner, this isn't a simple interview, I've been hanging out with the band and asking about _all_ of them to evade suspicions," he said mostly truthfully, conveniently failing to mention Mugi had seen right through him. "Though- party huh? Can I bring a guest?"

"Sure."

This time without even Sawako he just carried his Synthesizer and an air of belonging and no one seemed to question him-

"Azu-Nyan! Come on, say AH!"

He stopped at the door when he heard that. He opened the door slowly as Yui was holding a piece of cake out on a fork and beckoning a shorter dark haired girl he assumed must be the _new_ band member to eat it.

For a moment the girl looked sated, but quickly she rounded on Yui again, "Come on, we need to practice…"

Mugi was the first to notice Jack step in as she immediately began preparing more Tea. The other girls noticed him soon after-

"Excuse me, who are you," Azusa asked.

"I'm Jack Rayson, I came in yesterday to ask about the club. I go to the boy's school across the street from here."

"Are you allowed to join our clubs," Azusa asked.

"Officially, I dunno, but nobodies complained yet," he said simply, "And who are you?"

"Nakano Azusa, I play Guitar."

"This is Azu-nyan, isn't she adorable," Yui glomped onto her from behind.

Jack smirked but turned his head to hide it. He sat down across from Mio in time for Mugi to set a tea cup and a slice of cake in front of him. "Thank you Mugi-chan… Um I just got invited to this welcome back party for a teacher who was gone all last year- and I'm probably not gonna know anyone there- I wondered if I could convince you to come too."

Mugi gave a half-chuckle. "Sure, I'm used to such things."

"I thought as much, but I do really appreciate it-" he stopped cold when he put the cake to his mouth and was blown away by it. He sat there with a glazed over smile on his face and put both hands to his cheeks, the fork dangling off his index.

"It's good isn't it?"

"Ch-cheesecake…" He said. "The only thing better is Key Lime- and only if it's made just right," he still sounded a little dazed as he shakily reached the fork for another bite.

Mugi giggled a little. Mio quirked an eyebrow as she looked between them. "So, what more did you want to know- before you ah- decide…"

"Hm," Jack sounded oblivious before he forced himself to snap out of it. "Oh, well- Look, I was," he looked toward Mugi, who nodded at him. "I'm in the Journalism club in the boys' school, I was going to do a profile, I _personally_ was going to make it about the band- though I was _assigned_ just to do a profile on Mugi…"

Everyone turned to face him.

"Why the deception," Mio asked.

"My father's always been weary of journalists, if he knew Jack here was trying to profile me, he would probably try to stop him," Mugi smiled. "Though considering, he might at least think about it, given your advantage."

"My father having _met_ your father isn't much of an advantage…"

"Your father made a very lasting impression on mine."

Ritsu looked between Mugi and Jack, "Your dads have met?"

"Actually _we've_ met- though I didn't remember until Mugi reminded me, it _was_ more than ten years ago."

Mio seemed to have a slip of understanding cross her face and relaxed a bit. "So at the fast food place…"

"She forced me to come clean," Jack admitted, "mind you I only lied about being a reporter- and having seen your performance second hand," Jack added quietly. "I really was impressed by your performance."

"So if you didn't see the performance live-"

"Can we please not ask that- as far as I'm concern too many people know about that already," Jack was blushing.

"But you make such a cute girl, Ja-chan," Mugi teased.

"Really, can we see," Ritsu asked.

Jack thunked his head against the desk. "It wasn't my idea, my editor told me to, and now he's blackmailing me to finish the assignment, and the party he's 'invited' me to is just bribery on top of it."

"Ah, Genki Genki, Ja-chan," Mugi set another piece of cake in front of him.

He sighed and looked at it, knowing exactly why she set it there he glared at the cake as if hateful for the fact it _would_ make him feel better. But a moment later he took a bite and blissfully smiled anyway.

Ritsu was poking him, "I wanna see… can I see… do you have any pictures of it… I wanna see… lemme see…" she started chanting around him.

Eventually he relented and once more shamefully pulled out the photo's Jun had taken of him. Ritsu, with Yui looking over her shoulder, was flipping through the photos bouncing between awe and laughter. Jack tried very hard to focus on the cake…

"What are you going to do about your editor blackmailing you," Azu-nyan finally spoke up.

Jack shrugged half-heartedly. "I dunno yet, I haven't found anything I can turn back against him yet, other than the fact he's blackmailing more than just me…"

"Well, Ritsu's the expert on blackmail, you might ask her," Mio mentioned with an edge of acid in her voice.

Ritsu had a look that feigned the definition of innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about Mio-chan?"

"You blackmailed Sawa-chan into becoming our advisor," Yui pointed out.

Ritsu hissed and backed away from Yui mouthing 'backstabbed.'

"Actually I used that particular trick with Sawako to get in here in the first place," Jack mused. "I understand the nature of the game, I simply have no material to work with against Jun-sensei… he's got all the cards right now."

Azu-Nyan looked over at the clock and turned white- "W-we still never practiced!"

Everyone chuckled a little bit, "So- Mugi-chan, where do you want to meet up before the party?"

"Well where is it?"

Jack pulled out a paper and looked at it, then thought. "It's actually not far from here."

"Well, we could just meet at the bus stop a couple blocks from here."

"I suppose."

"Monday we HAVE to practice," Azu-nyan said resolutely.

AN:

Yes I know- these are short stubby chapters… I'm sorry… so very sorry… it's how they keep coming to me…


	5. A Little Warning

Jack gaped, "I said it was a welcome party for a teacher, not a socialite party," Jack had to pick up his jaw from shock- "It is very pretty though."

Mugi just smiled in her mild pale yellow dress. It was so pale it was almost white, and it was accented by a sunflower on the right shoulder. She held her purse in both hands; it too matched the dress as well as her large hat. Her shoes had heels at least two inches high and also were the same color as the dress. "You look good as well."

Jack cleared his throat and adjusted his collar. He was in a black denim shirt and jeans, despite the slowly rising heat. "Thank you. But ah- I hope you brought other shoes, because those can't possibly be comfortable."

"I'll manage," she said simply. "In your place I'd be more worried about the heat."

"Meh," he said dismissively, "Never really been bothered by weather, survived Arizona's summer- and following monsoons," he added chuckling. "Also been to Alaska, Hawaii, and Panama. Been to Egypt and while I didn't climb it, I've been at the base of Mt. Everest." He held out his arm for Mugi to take, she smiled and took his arm as they walked to the teacher's house where the party was.

"So why didn't you climb it," Mugi asked seemingly from nowhere.

Jack chuckled, slightly embarrassed, "I was afraid, I mean- do you know how many people _haven't_ made it up the mountain… I told my dad I just wanted to see the top, and he prepared this big group, with oxygen tanks, huge winter tents, and even a portable generator. Certainly nothing competitive of course, we didn't care- frankly it's been done, but I was curious-… Until I got there- I couldn't see the top- but I lied and told my dad I could see the top just fine from the bottom because I was scared… I think he knew, but he never said a word and just paid everyone and we went home."

"Must have been pretty though?"

"I guess- yeah, in retrospect, definitely. Have you ever gone mountain climbing?"

"Never anything like Everest, but my family's been to the Andies."

"_Those_ are pretty; I've ridden through them on trains several times. Some of the tunnels actually go _through_ them…"

"I know," Mugi smiled.

They got to the house and knocked. Jun answered the door, then was surprised to see them, "You're early, it doesn't start until three?"

"Well you didn't exactly give me a time, I _guessed_ noon…"

Jun turned and noticed Mugi and gave an even more shocked look. He worked his jaw for a moment, then finally decided not to ask and just let them both in. As Mugi passed Jun on the way in she turned toward him and gave him a glare that would break steel. "You realize people like you are why my father doesn't trust journalism," she said, then snubbed her nose at him and clung a little more tightly to Jack as she continued in.

Jack smirked and leaned in to whisper, "Thank you anyway, but you realize I didn't need you to do that for me."

"I know," she said, her demeanor instantly back to normal.

Jun appeared a little shaken around Mugi, though she showed no further signs of hostility. Jun pointed over toward a woman talking with three other women. "That's Masaoka Chizuko, the teacher this party is for."

Mugi nodded, "Let's go join them."

"I dunno, the party hasn't started yet, they're probably just chit-chatting. You know personal stuff."

"Think of it as networking," she smiled. "The same kind of stuff you have to do to be a successful journalist."

"I knew I should have joined the occult club," Jack sighed as he was led over there.

"Then we wouldn't have met again." She said with a teasing smile.

Jack instantly changed from his relaxed body language to his formal as he gave a small bow, "Hello Masaoka-Sensei, I hope your vacation was fruitful."

She tensed as she turned toward him. "Sure, um, it was a health thing actually, so I didn't do that much 'fun' stuff."

"So was it a boy or a girl," Mugi asked, stunning the rest of the room to silence.

Jack's head shot back towards her as well, along the way he managed to be the only person to spot the second person in the room who froze up at Mugi's question.

"I- I um… it was a boy," she said at barely a whisper.

Jack leaned in again and nudged her with his elbow, then slightly tilted his head back. She followed his motion toward Jun who seemed to be making his way to the kitchen now. Later as more guests arrived to distract Chizuko, Jack managed to get away from the crowds, "One of these days you're gonna have to tell me how you knew she'd just given birth- that was brilliant- and did you _see_ how Jun reacted, I think I just found what I needed."

"Oh it wasn't really that hard to spot," she said. "I could also see she really wants to talk about her baby, but something is stopping her."

He leaned in and stopped short of being directly in her face, blushing, he spoke instead. "You're brilliant Mugi, I could kiss you, I'll have to get you alone with her and I'm sure she'll tell us Jun is the father."

Mugi looked embarrassed from Jack's praise and proximity. "I suppose, since I did offer to help you."

Jack was shocked again as Mugi leaned in the last few centimeters and kissed him on the lips. Before he even had time to absorb what happened she'd pulled away again looking even more embarrassed than him.

"W-well, you did say you could k-kiss me."

"A-anytime… just- m-maybe a little warning next time, and I might be able to kiss back," he tried to pass it as a joke, but his breath was too short to chuckle the way he intended so it sounded fractured.

They came back into the main room with the rest of the party, Reika appeared. Jack caught her attention and winked; Reika gave a confused glance back, but wandered over after greeting Chizuko.

"What was that for?"

"I think I've got Jun bagged, I just need two things, evidence, which I'm working on, and a final confrontation, you up for that part?"

Reika smirked, "Definitely."

"What did Jun have on you," Mugi asked.

"That's a very personal question Kotobuki-san."

"She wouldn't tell me either, and Jun just said it was photos…"

Reika frowned and looked between Mugi and Jack… "I… I was in love with a student- look it's not even that big a deal, I came back to teach- and he'd been a freshman when I gradated, so we already knew each other… But… he was still a senior when I first came back to teach… But Jun caught us, and I switched over to the girls school, and then became Vice Principle, I thought it was all behind me until Jun showed me the pictures… covering for you was just the latest in a series of things he's blackmailed me into doing these last three years…"

After the party they were sitting waiting at the bus stop, Jack was going to see her off than call his father's driver. He was talking animatedly finally now that he had a plan. "We should come back tomorrow and see if she'll talk about her son- and more importantly the father-"

"Jack?"

"Hm?"

"I going to kiss you now," she said.

Even that almost wasn't enough warning, especially since he'd forgotten he told her to warn him next time. But this time after she'd made initial contact, he managed to regain enough sense to return her enthusiasm. He reached for her hands and held them as they were now facing each other on the bus stop benches. This time the kiss was also much longer, but eventually even this one ended.

Jack was breathing hard and blushing to match Mugi. "Never mind the warnings, I'm just hopeless," he gave a half-hearted laugh.

"I didn't think it was so bad."

"I didn't say that either," he practically chirped.

"So, tomorrow," Mugi confirmed as the bus arrived.

"Tomorrow," Jack confirmed.

"It's a date," Mugi said with a giggle before getting onto the bus.

AN:

Sorry if the chapter seemed forced- I was talking with a friend about the fic, and we both just sort of figured Mugi would be the type to just out of nowhere spot all the not-so obvious clues that Chizuko was a mother.

I however, not being so gifted, _might_ be able to figure something like that out- but it would take me a lot longer….

And the two kiss scenes just struck me as too cute to resist….


	6. Turnabout is Fair Play

AN:

WARNING- this chapter now takes us to the M rating I gave the fic…

End AN

Mugi was right, all Chizuko needed was an opening and she launched into a discussion about her baby, Tamao. She already had a baby album- and only two pages in, Jack saw what he wanted.

Jun was holding his new baby son, unaware of the camera- and in the photo beside it- suddenly aware of the camera and shocked. "Do you have other copies of these?"

"They're digital photos, I could make you a copy if you wanted," she sounded a little confused, "why?"

Jack chuckled, "That depends, how is Jun keeping you quiet?"

"W-what," she blushed a bit, "Jun wouldn- I mean- I couldn't scandalize both of us like that…"

"But shouldn't your baby be able to bear his father's surname," Mugi pointed out.

She stopped stammering and seemed to be thinking.

They left her house with the photos they needed.

"I feel like just walking for a little bit," Mugi said. "Hold my hand," she asked shyly.

"Sure," Jack replied just as shyly.

He let Mugi lead the way as he didn't know the area all that well past the school. Jack didn't really know what sort of small talk to say…

"I notice you don't really act like the daughter of one of the richest men on the continent?"

"Oh, how do they normally act?"

"Ah- Okay, I guess I _don't_ know, aside from a few pointless stereotypes."

"Such as?"

"Well, as the saying goes, money changes people; they don't care as much about what they see as 'the little people'."

"Does your father still care?"

"What? I think, I mean… Wait- is this...?"

Mugi smiled, "Is it what?"

Jack looked up at the building; it was plain with no signs, just a 30 foot replica of The Statue of Liberty. "I think my dad owns this one?"

"Oh, do they give you a discount?"

"You want to check out a room," he puzzled aloud, frozen in a moment of 'wait- is she really saying what I think she's saying…?'

She turned to face him as she paused a moment too. Mostly innocent smile on her face she tilted her head, "Okay."

"You know I swear I'm not this clueless normally- but I just seem to constantly be playing catch up with you. Don't get me wrong, the innocent thing is cute, and I like what I know about you so far, I need to know if you like me, or are just having fun with me…"

She tugged at his hand until he leaned forward a little and she leaned in and kissed him. This time he actually managed to respond in kind. He stepped in toward her and they hugged during the kiss. When she stepped back from the kiss she smiled, "I like what I know about you too, and I have fun when I'm around you, so in answer to your question, both…"

"But is it 'just'?"

Mugi moved as if to kiss Jack again but seemed to think better of it and stopped short, resting her hands against his chest, "What do you want me to say," she leaned against his chest, suddenly more serious, "I'll never love anyone else, I don't know…"

Jack let out a relaxing sigh and put his arms around her again, "I didn't mean that… So," he pulled his head back a little while still holding her and smiled lopsidedly, "Do you want to get a room?"

She slid her hands off his chest and took his hand again, leading him in. No clerk made check in less embarrassing, but it also meant they couldn't get any special treatment.

They entered the room and looked around. Almost everything in the room was some shade of red; there was a large, round bed against one of the walls. "I've ah- never been in one of these- do you- want to take a shower first or something?"

Mugi chuckled a little then smiled while trying not to blush and not succeeding. "Just lay down on the bed."

Jack laid back on the bed and Mugi slide on top of him, sitting on his abs with one leg off either side of him and her knees bent. She leaned over him and kissed him. Slipping her fingers between them he worked first at her own blouse, then his shirt, discarding them to the side. She parted from kissing him and looked down at his bare chest for a moment before unhooking her bra and dropping that aside as well. Jack started to try and lean up towards her and she pushed him back down. "But-"

"Please, just be still first," she said nervously. She slid a little further down him and kissed his chest, then worked her way down. She lightly bit her lip as she paused at his pants; she nervously worked her fingers before opening his pants and pushing them down, under her, and off him.

Now Jack's face was redder than Mugi's- "You know you don't have to-"

"It's alright…"

She pushed down the final obstacle and was staring at a rigid salute that was just a little too embarrassed to reach full mast. But that had been what she was expecting as she leaned down, taking the tip into her mouth and working as much as she could into her mouth. Jack winced pleasurably and arched his hips up just a little.

She came up, "Please, be still." She worked him the rest of the way up, as she did so she took off her own skirt and panties. She came up again and bit her lip as she positioned him at her entrance. "Don't move," she said firmly as she started her way down. She let out a gasp of pain and closed her eyes, sliding down further, very slowly. When she went down as far as she could and came up she set her hands at Jack's hips as if to hold him down and slid down again.

"Ahng… Mugi-"

"Shh," she said with her eyes still painfully closed. Mugi actually whimpered as she did this a few more times before she laid forward on top of him. "Okay," she said at last.

Jack took over the effort part from beneath her, cupping his hands around her ass. "Mugi- are you sure this is alright, we didn't-"

"It's okay, precautions have been taken," she assured him.

"AH- Mugi I'm gonna-"

"It's okay, do it."

She cried out as she felt him climax inside her.

She lay beside him and curled up against him. He slipped an arm beneath her as they both laid above the covers. "Mugi I think I love you…"

"But?"

He tensed, looking ready to defend himself, "Don't take this wrong but- I want you to help me seduce Mio."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Jack sat up, confusion clear on his face, "Don't you want to hear the reasons or anything?"

She shrugged, "If you think I need to hear them."

"I want you- know that, but I want _us_ to have her, understand?"

Mugi smiled, "Okay."

"You- are an amazing girl. I've never met anyone remotely like you before."

Mugi leaned up and kissed him as a response. As Jack warmed into the kiss he lightly pushed Mugi back down and got on top of her this time.

"This time, _you_ just lie back and be still," he smiled lewdly…

Mugi whimpered again as Jack briefly teased her nipples before slipping down to his goal. "Jack," she gasped, "I mean," she blushed, "you were inside me…"

"It's okay," it was his turn to reassure as he went down on her.

As her breathing began to steadily increase in rhythm she slid her fingers into his hair, taking off the hairband on his ponytail. Her breath hitched as she held it in a long pause before screaming and clutching Jack's head tightly.


	7. What do you Want

Jack came into the classroom in time to watch Yui glomp onto Azu-Nyan and perfectly slip the cat ears on her again in the process. Jack set his synth beside Mugi's keyboard and sat beside Mio.

"So I talked with Reika and Chizuko, they'll both need a week to set up their side of the plan, and I wanted to talk about my other plan this Sunday if I can," he said to Mugi as she set a teacup in front of him.

"I mentioned your wanting to talk to him and he's very anxious to meet you again, though of course I haven't told him either of the things you want to spring on him," Mugi laughed lightly and sat on the other side of Mio.

"Oh, what plan," Mio asked, since she was now _physically_ in the middle of the conversation.

"I managed a little dirt on Jun-Sensei, and some time next week- assuming all goes well, I can turn the tables on him squarely and irrevocably."

"What sort of dirt?"

Jack smiled, "Well, it was Mugi that managed to notice the important part- I only happened to be looking Jun's way and caught his reaction, between the two events, we learned that Jun has an illegitimate son."

"So the party was eventful?"

"And the day after," Mugi giggled, causing Jack to blush.

Mio was obviously confused, "What happened the day after?"

"We went back to talk to the mother," he peered past Mio at Mugi and gave her a glance that read, '_what was that?_'

Ritsu sat down across from Mio and reached for a cup of Tea Mugi had already placed for her. "So what's the other plan you want to talk about on Sunday?"

"Well part of it is I wanted to talk to Mugi's father to see about publishing the article I've written on the band- and the whole story of how I got the story, including my misadventures and Jun's blackmailing habits."

"And," Ritsu said picking up on the obvious second line.

"Well, that conversation can go a few ways depending on how the week goes," Jack mused, and Mugi contained a giggle with a noticeable effort. Though when he followed her glance he noticed it was because Azu-Nyan was being manhandled by Yui again. Yui had her arms draped over Azusa's shoulders and a piece of cake teasingly held before her. Jack chuckled at that.

Ritsu and Mio exchanged glances, then Ritsu nodded, and rose, opened her mouth- and before she could ask the blunt question on the tip of her tongue Mio smacked her upside the head. Mock tears were flowing from her eyes as she held the imaginary bump on her head, "But I didn't even ask yet?"

"Ask what," Yui said. That gave Azusa the opening she needed to slip out from Yui's arms, sneakily snagging the cake in the process and sitting beside Ritsu.

Mio cleared her throat, "We were just sort of wondering… Um… You see that is-"

"You're always obsessing over Shoujo-Ai, and now you're kind of flirty with Jack too- we just can't keep up," Ritsu finished bluntly.

"What's wrong with flirting," Jack mused, "It's fun to flirt," he brushed his foot against Mio's ankle and she went rigid and blushed.

Ritsu looked from Jack to Mio, then to Mugi, then back to Jack. Ritsu shrugged and sighed in annoyance, "I give up…"

"I thought we were going to practice today," Azusa interrupted.

"_You_ said we were going to practice," Ritsu pointed out.

"Sounds fun though," Jack pointed out.

"Oh- I ah, brought the sheet music, since you said you only follow it when you have it," Mio got up and went for her backpack.

Jack got up to meet her at the bags, "You know, Mugi and I were wondering if after practice you might want to drop by the Café at the Mall with us?"

Mio held out the music sheets for him in order to stall as she glanced over at Mugi, who just smiled back. Mio looked at Jack who seemed perfectly calm. "I ah?"

"Hey, I'm also having my driver bring me my Bass later, maybe we could practice together, as I told you before I'm actually better with Bass than Synth," he said as he took the sheets.

"Are you and Mugi," Mio began to ask.

"We've become very close rather quickly, and want to be equally as close with you," he said in absolute honestly, despite the hidden meanings only intended for himself and Mugi to understand.

"Are we gonna play or not," Ritsu said sitting at her drums.

Jack leaned in and spoke a little more quietly this time, "By the way, I tracked down a copy of your first concert floating around the Net-"

Mio stood straight up and flushed, "No!"

"What, it was a very good performance, even with Yui's sore voice, it was just as good as the performance I watched."

"Bu-but, it's on the net- now everyone can see… p-pa-…."

Jack chuckled, "Well there was that, but that's at the end of the show."

"Adding a very memorable end to a memorable show," Mugi mused.

Azusa played a rift on her guitar to get everyone's attention, "Are we doing this or not?"

"We're trying to have a moment here, do you mind?"

"Flirt on your own time," Azusa stuck her tongue out, but was smiling as she did so.

Mio looked at Jack and backed away, "Look um..." She started, but blushed and seemed unable to finished, "…L-let's just play for now, okay?"

"Say yes to the Café?"

"O-okay," she managed to stutter.

It was the same song he'd played with them last time, but between Azu-nyan, and Jack actually having sheet music this time, it was almost completely different. Maybe better- maybe not, but it was very different non-the-less.

Even though Mio had left with Jack and Mugi, separately from the rest of the band, by the time the waitress had gotten to them Jack spotted Ritsu attempting to look sneaky with Azusa and Yui in tow. They were in a table behind Mio so she couldn't see them, but both Mugi and Jack had managed to spot them and exchange knowing smirks.

"What," Mio asked, unaware.

"Nothing important, just a bit of a mess we seemed to have trailed in," Jack chuckled as his eyes were staring directly at Ritsu who flinched.

"Riiiiiiii-tsu…" Mio scowled instantly understanding his glance without having to follow it.

"Hey, I get it, childhood friends can get real jealous, hell, I got a guy from preschool I text occasionally, 'n fact we're planning to do something together after gradation next year…" He smirked, "My family moved to Japan, his to Germany, but we still talk."

"He knew you before even _I _met you, wow…"

Jack scoffed, "Just barely, it was winter break the same year I met him that I went to that party and met you, if I'd have known I was gonna meet you again I might have asked Daddy to set up some sort of play dates or something," he snickered.

"But then you wouldn't have been surprised to meet me again, and your Editor Jun-sensei might have tried something earlier."

"Play dates?" Mio looked puzzled, complete with imagining a five-year old Jack and Mugi in dress clothes on a pair of swings, a movie theater in the background with discarded popcorn sticking out of a nearby trashcan.

"Fancy talk for rich mothers," Jack chuckled, "but yeah, I wouldn't have had to be so sneaky either, course, then poor Tamao might grow up without being able to acknowledge his father in public," he said a little more seriously, "I guess this way works out the best for the most people." He glanced over at Mio again with a sly smirk.

She instantly blushed under the glance, "Wh-why do you two seem to want me?"

Jack chuckled again, though only briefly this time, "Mugi and I are both fairly active people, we tend to simply act or say what's on our mind. You're a rather _re-_active person, you think- sometimes even overly so, before you act, usually because you're afraid of other's reactions, positive _or_ negative sanctions…"

"It's a restraint thing," Mio asked uncertainly.

"It's a balance thing, I mean obviously there's an attraction or neither of us would be trying, but we feel we can do for you what Ritsu has failed to do, and you can do for us what we couldn't for each other."

Whatever response Mio half-stuttered was drowned out by Ritsu across the room, "Eeeeeeehhh!"

Jack used the motion of sipping from his glass to wait out Ritsu's outburst and Mio's near catatonic state. It took longer than expected, Mio sat there in shock long enough that he finished his juice. He turned over to Mugi, his body language asking what to do. Mugi shrugged.

"Some help," he teased, she pouted, but also clearly mockingly. Jack turned back to Mio, he waved a hand in front of her face and got no reaction. "Mio?"

He tentatively set a hand on hers, doing so he could feel how tightly she was gripping the handle to the tea cup she was holding, the tea in it had gone cold by now…

Finally noticing his hand, Mio flinched and pulled back, setting her hands in her lap with a neon red expression on her face. She stuttered three or four non-word starts before she started forming actual words, at last deciding on, "I don't know what to say, I think I don't understand."

"You _think_ you don't understand," Jack pressed.

Mio looked down and to one side, "What do you want from me?"

While Mio was looking down, Jack turned to Mugi and held a hand for her, she took it and Jack used that hand so that they both reached for Mio's arm, since her hands were still hidden under the table, using his other hand Jack reached for her chin to direct her attention to them. "You."

She flinched away and looked down again, "So embarrassing," she mumbled.

"But also flattering, isn't it," Mugi pointed out.

Mio shook her head violently, "Too embarrassing…"

"Come on, let's see if we can get a little more privacy in the park," he stood up and reached for Mugi's hand on one side and Mio's on the other. Mugi took his hand and got up while Mio just stared blankly at his hand for a moment. Mugi reached out her own free hand and Mio looked from one hand to the other and gave a nervous smile.


	8. String Tunning

AN:

Is it hilarious that even though I've wanted to for more than a decade I only finally started trying to learn Guitar less than a week ago…- (Actually originally I wanted to learn Base for reasons not unlike Mio- this was years ago before K-On… {Like- still in middle or early high school ago… so- 10 years ago or so…} but once I actually started looking into it, I decided I ought to learn Guitar, since learning Base after Guitar is easier than the other way around… which is why I'm trying to learn on an Acoustic Guitar… even though in the long run I want to own an electric [using a friend's instrument at the moment]) The calluses I _used_ to have from gymnastics help a little, but I still need to build the skin on the tips of my fingers…

I have a _goal_… I plan to be able to play Watashi no Koi wa Hotch Kiss… after that I'll probably try to learn more practical songs and just keep in practice…

AN2: {deleted due to out of date useless information}

AN3: Also- I've suddenly lost a lot of respect for TATU… I mean- I still suck and I can fuckin' TAP out the intro to 30 Minutes… it's that simple…

AN4: I own my own guitar now- it's an acoustic- but my roommate sold it to me for $15 bucks so- how could I resist when the only problem with it was I needed to re-string and he even had strings already for it…

End AN

"Hey, yours is a five string?"

Jack shrugged, "I was actually _going_ to learn guitar, but in my case I bowed out for my friend, figured I'd drop to base and let him lead, and I'd have looked for a six string base, but I figured at that point I might as well have been playing a guitar anyway," he mused as he tuned his strings. "Damn new strings," he sighed, but a moment later he strummed out part of a tune that was familiar to him just to warm up. He stopped, then looked down at his fingers, "Damn, not completely gone, but I'm not sure they'll hold up."

"I didn't know you _could_ lose your calluses," Mio asked, sitting on a swing beside Mugi as they both watched him sitting on the concrete at the edge of the swing set.

"Like I said before, four years, I stopped when I came to Japan because I found I was so far behind on the curriculum I couldn't find the time- well, I've been through quite a bit of growing since then, the skin stretched and the calluses got thinner." He started doing a stretching exercise, playing notes down one fret at a time, then back once he reached the farthest fret.

"Look, I- shouldn't actually stay long, I don't want Ritsu's imagination running off with her," she tried to pass it off as a joke, but failed from the nervousness in her voice.

"At least it would be an interesting ride for her to tell you about," Mugi said with an amused smirk.

Mio just gawked at her for a moment, then turned to Jack.

"Don't look at me, I agree," he scoffed. "Can you honestly tell me you don't sometimes fantasize about things you'd be far too embarrassed to talk about?"

"But- but- I don't want _Ritsu_ picturing me doing funny things… She might start telling people I really am doing them…"

"Yeah but, who hasn't learned to take anything Ritsu says with a grain of salt yet? I've been in your lives all of about a week and I figured that out…"

"That's just it, how can you say what you say when you've only know us for so long, how am I not supposed to think you're collecting us?"

"If I were collecting I'd have probably gone for you first, then Mugi, then Azusa, then Yui, and let Ritsu come to me, cause you know by then she'd feel left out," Jack chuckled.

"You actually thought that out," she looked aghast.

"Not until you said it, it's not exactly hard science. Go for the hardest first, and dumbest last, well- in fairness Ritsu is a little smarter than Yui, but Ritsu's easier to manipulate. In between varies a little, Mugi next because she's open and intelligent enough to help in later so-call conquests, and Azusa would be almost as difficult as you, but a little more impressionable…"

Mio just sat there mouth open for a moment…

"I'm a guy, I'm allowed to think about these things-… as long as I don't act on them…"

"Is that really the order you'd go in," Mugi wondered aloud.

"It's the order I'd plan it in if I was going to do such a thing… but really- I don't get why anyone would want a harem… I don't get hard-core rockers who collect groupies, sleep with a different girl every night and you have to learn each of their bodies' secrets separately."

"Bodies' secrets," Mio asked with a blush.

Jack chuckled, which just made Mio blush more. "Oh yeah, the one thing I always forget about Japanese culture," he chuckled some more. "American media may suppress sexual content, but aside from the anally repressed, we don't have any trouble showing or talking about affection in public," he sighed. Then started strumming a few stray notes on his Base.

Mio sighed, "I just don't understand why you're interested in me- and why you-…" she blushed, "Why you _and_ Mugi seem to want this- want _me_?"

"I'm _pretty_ sure I covered that," Jack mused. "Maybe you lost it in Ritsu's exclamation," he chuckled. "I love Mugi- as much as I know how- I want _us_ to love _you_ because I think you can complete our relationship in a way we can't on our own. This isn't just a tacky guy three-some obsession- frankly I generally find the idea silly and frivolous. In this case however I believe you have the capacity to complete us better than we can alone."

"Why!" She looked around suddenly making sure she hadn't attracted additional attention.

"Love isn't science, or math, it's art. There's a balance that you happen to find in math, but that's just an echo. It's not until you get into some serious hard core math that anything looks remotely _real_…"

Mio sat there for a moment… quirked an eyebrow, "How does that explain anything?"

"Sometimes two variables aren't enough, like a chord, sometimes you need another string to make just the right harmony."

"And sometimes you should just tune down your strings," Mio snapped back.

Jack couldn't help but chuckle at that retort. He found himself laughing hard a moment later while Mio just stared at him. Mio turned over to Mugi to see she was laughing as well, though much more quietly.

Mio frowned. "Wasn't that funny."

Jack gave another short burst of laughter, then paused and sucked in a breath, slowly letting it out, "Maybe not, but it was a good comeback."

"But you're already working on another argument, yes?"

"Of course, since for all your shy and almost sly evasiveness, you've yet to give a definitive answer, I can tell the idea is just so overwhelming to you that you haven't even really started to let it sink in and think about it."

Mio looked down, "Okay I haven't, it's a lot to take in, it's-… Not normal…"

Jack snorted, "What's normal, wife and two kids? Go on, go catch Ritsu's imaginary kite string before she's lost forever to the dark side that is Ecchi-dom- then go home- and really think about it. Think about it in an environment that suits you- free of distractions and immediate pressures…"

Mio looked from Jack back to Mugi, who just nodded.

"And if I say no?"

"Then you probably cheated, kidding" he added quickly, "if you sincerely feel against it after honestly thinking it over- we'll tune down our strings," he smirked.

As Mio left, Jack put up his base and sat in the swing beside Mugi. They were both silent for a moment as they pushed off and started swinging- a moment later Mugi stopped and started laughing quietly, Jack stopped soon after, and laughed softly…

"Tune down our strings…" Mugi said between giggles.

Then both turned to each other and laughed a bit more, stopping almost together before Mugi started swinging again-

"Betcha I can go higher," she said teasingly.

"Oh you're on," he said playing along…


End file.
